LTE Focus 2010 in Amsterdam: Latest views on evolution and deployment path towards LTE

Aug 30, 2010 - The LTE Focus is scheduled to take place in Amsterdam on September 09, 2010. It will give the latest views of LTE operators, analysts and technology experts during the preparation and implementation phase of a significant number of commercial LTE networks through to the end of 2010. As one of the sponsors, Rohde & Schwarz is exhibiting its latest LTE test capabilities in selected products.

There will be an opportunity to meet technology leaders in radio, baseband, RF, SDR, MIMO, network planning and test and measurement. Presentations on key issues in LTE development will include:

• The LTE business model
• Standards and regulatory issues
• UMTS/HSPA+/LTE evolution path
• Cost efficiency of handsets and terminals
• Etc.

The list of speakers at the LTE Focus 2010 includes Meik Kottkamp, Technology Manager in the Test & Measurement Division at Rohde & Schwarz. His presentation will highlight the key system performance enablers in an LTE system, and specifically explain how those can be verified in a lab environment as well as in real-life deployments. A comparison with existing WCDMA/HSPA+ deployments will round out his presentation.

For more information about Rohde & Schwarz test solutions specially designed for LTE, please visit our website.

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LTE Focus 2010

R&S®TS8991 OTA performance test system now offers LTE measurements

Aug 25, 2010 - Equipped with the new R&S®AMS32-K30 and R&S®AMS32-K29 options, the R&S®TS8991 OTA performance test system from Rohde & Schwarz is the first test system to offer LTE measurements.

The antenna performance of wireless devices is a vital parameter for determining the quality of service especially at the edge of network cells. To meet CTIA and 3GPP specifications, spatial over-the-air (OTA) tests are required. Phantom head and hands simulate the influence of the user during testing.

These OTA measurements for LTE devices are now available with the new R&S®AMS32-K29 software option as a component of the R&S®AMS32 system software. This option supports LTE SISO mode, whereas the R&S®AMS-K30 option provides measurements in line with the Verizon Wireless test plan including the calculation of the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC).

To use the R&S®AMS32-K29 and R&S®AMS32-K30 options, the R&S®TS8991 OTA performance test system hardware has to be equipped with an R&S®CMW500 wideband radio communication tester as LTE base station emulator.

Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates many new DVB-T2 functions as well as new compact monitoring instruments at IBC 2010

Aug 20, 2010 - Rohde & Schwarz showcases DVB-T2, 3D TV and the latest monitoring solutions at this year's IBC trade fair in Amsterdam. An outstanding example is the R&S DVMS4 for monitoring digital TV networks, which premieres at the trade fair. Rohde & Schwarz scores big with new functionality for DVB-T2: Multiple PLP defined in the standard has now been added to both transmitters and T&M instruments.

In Europe, the first DVB-T2 projects are being implemented. For instance, Rohde & Schwarz will install a full-coverage DVB-T2 transmitter network for Europa 7, an Italian broadcast operator, by the end of 2010. The network operators Arqiva in England and Teracom in Sweden are currently upgrading to DVB-T2, with the R&S®8000 generation of Rohde & Schwarz transmitters in various power classes. New key DVB-T2 functions will be included, such as the Multiple PLP mode that makes it possible to transmit diverse services in one channel at variable data rates.

The R&S®DVMS4 monitoring system, which monitors DVB-T/H and DVB-S/S2 signals as well as transport streams, will be presented for the first time at IBC. The R&S®DVMS4 simultaneously monitors the RF and transport stream characteristics of up to four digital signals in only one height unit, making it the most compact instrument in its class. It is therefore ideal for use at sites with multiple transmitters. The R&S®DVMS4 detects all relevant errors, saving network operators the necessity of investing in other costly monitoring equipment. Rohde & Schwarz offers the R&S®DVMS1 for monitoring just one RF and/or TS signal. The company has a solution available at an attractive price/performance ratio – regardless of the number of signals to be monitored.

A 3D TV test solution based on the R&S®DVSG digital video signal generator can also be seen at the trade fair booth. The compact signal generator for the development and quality assurance of TV sets and projectors supports all relevant 3D TV formats, and outputs uncompressed video signals in accordance with version 1.4a of the HDMI standard. In addition to static images, the R&S®DVSG provides long, moving sequences that allow the picture processing unit of new 3D generation displays to be assessed. Rohde & Schwarz provides an extensive library of standard test sequences. For specific problems, users can also create their own 3D test sequences with the free AVG pattern import software.

New ISDB-T analysis option for the R&S®ETH handheld TV analyzer

Aug 19, 2010 - With the new R&S®ETH-K160 software option installed, the R&S®ETH handheld TV analyzer will support measurement functions for the ISDB-T standard, which is used in South America and Japan.

Rohde & Schwarz has launched the R&S®ETH-K160 ISDB-T analysis option for the R&S®ETH handheld TV analyzer. It will support all relevant analysis functions for measurements of ISDB-T and ISDB-TB TV signals, including MER, MER(k), BER, constellation diagram, and channel impulse response. The main applications of the R&S®ETH are the installation and maintenance of low-power transmitters as well as coverage measurements in the field and in buildings. The R&S®ETH-K160 software option can be installed on the R&S®ETH by a firmware upgrade and can be activated by a key code.

The new R&S®ETH-K160 ISDB-T analysis option makes it possible to introduce the R&S®ETH to the South American and Japanese market, as well as to the future Asian and African ISDB-T countries. A Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese graphical user interface will be available with a future firmware release.

The R&S®ETH handheld TV analyzer is the compact combination of a TV analyzer, spectrum analyzer and network analyzer. It was specially developed for coverage measurements as well as for service and maintenance work on digital TV gap-filler and low-power transmitters. Before this point, it supported the DVB-T and DVB-H digital TV standards.

EuMW 2010: Rohde & Schwarz expands its microwave T&M portfolio with innovative products up to 500 GHz

Aug 10, 2010 - At the European Microwave Week 2010 in Paris (CNIT/Pierre & Marie Curie, booth 70/69), Rohde & Schwarz proves its leading role in microwave T&M with new T&M solutions up to 500 GHz. The numerous highlights include the R&S® FSVR real-time spectrum analyzer up to 30 GHz, the R&S® SMZ frequency multiplier up to 110 GHz as a practical supplement to the R&S® SMF100A signal generator, as well as network analysis up to 500 GHz based on the R&S® ZVA high-end network analyzer from Rohde & Schwarz. In addition, the company will present its two new oscilloscope families with bandwidths ranging from 500 MHz to 2 GHz.

Rohde & Schwarz presents the R&S® FSVR, the world’s first real-time spectrum analyzer up to 30 GHz

The new R&S® FSVR real-time spectrum analyzer from Rohde & Schwarz is the first solution to combine a fully functional signal and spectrum analyzer with a real-time spectrum analyzer. In real-time mode, the R&S® FSVR detects everything, from highly sporadic single events to ultrashort signals. Measurement without blind times benefits developers of RF components for commercial transmission systems such as LTE, WiMAX™, WLAN, Bluetooth® or RFID, and for general-purpose RF applications such as radar or frequency-hopping transmission. Plus, the R&S FSVR features a measurement speed that is up to fives times higher than that of other analyzers on the market.

The new R&S SMZ frequency multiplier family provides convenient microwave measurement capabilities in the 50 GHz to 110 GHz range

Rohde & Schwarz presents its new frequency multiplier family to the public for the first time at European Microwave Week. The family includes the R&S® SMZ75 (50 GHz to 75 GHz), R&S® SMZ90 (60 GHz to 90 GHz) and R&S® SMZ110 (75 GHz to110 GHz) models. The R&S® SMZ multipliers are the first on the market that can be optionally equipped with either a built-in mechanical or electronic level controller. They can be controlled by the R&S® SMF100A microwave generator via USB, so that the generator and the multiplier function as a single unit. Via this interface, the R&S® SMF100A receives all required data, such as configuration, multiplication factor, or the precalibrated frequency response needed for automatic correction. As a result, the frequency and level values that were set on the microwave generator are present at the multiplier’s output. This eliminates error-prone and time-consuming level measurement with a level detector or power sensor which usually takes place in conventional development and production test setups.

New 500 GHz converter expands the frequency range of Rohde & Schwarz network analyzers to 500 GHz

The new R&S® ZVA-Z500 makes Rohde & Schwarz the single-source provider for network analyzers and associated frequency converters up to 500 GHz. The converter is simply connected to a Rohde & Schwarz high-end network analyzer from the R&S® ZVA family. No extra hardware is required. The combined unit can be operated and calibrated exactly like the base unit. The new R&S® ZVA-Z500 converter allows millimeter-wave measurements with a dynamic range up to 110 dB. Components such as amplifiers, mixers, filters, couplers or components on wafers can be analyzed with the converter.

Fast, precise and easy to use: the new high-performance oscilloscopes

From a user perspective, the crucial qualities for an oscilloscope are the speed with which it detects errors and the accuracy with which it displays waveforms. This is why Rohde & Schwarz has designed and engineered its new R&S® RTO family of oscilloscopes for speed and signal fidelity. Capable of analyzing one million waveforms per second, these scopes make even the rarest errors visible in an instant. Trigger jitter is minimized by the first digital trigger system to be implemented in an oscilloscope. The clever user interface provides the perfect overview, even in the case of complex measurements. The new oscilloscopes will initially be available in two-channel and four-channel models with bandwidths of 1 GHz and 2 GHz and a maximum sampling rate of 10 Gsample per second.

Universal oscilloscopes from Rohde & Schwarz offer outstanding performance at an attractive price

The R&S® RTM universal oscilloscopes from Rohde & Schwarz are the first choice for everyday measurement tasks, due to their excellent characteristics, wide range of functions and compact design. 500 MHz bandwidth, 5 Gsample per second and a memory depth of up to 8 Msample make them ideal for testing and debugging analog and digital circuits with low clock rates. Features such as very low inherent noise and full bandwidth even at maximum sensitivity ensure high signal fidelity and reliable results. The compact, lightweight R&S® RTM oscilloscopes offer maximum operating convenience thanks to color-coded controls, flat menu structures and a brilliant 8.4-inch XGA TFT color display.

Compact EMC test solution

- The new R&S® R-Line test chamber from Rohde & Schwarz combined with the R&S® TS8996 test system delivers an EMI/EMS test performance and accuracy for wireless devices that is comparable to that of systems 10 times larger. During development this compact solution replaces a complete anechoic chamber and complex setup for the critical frequency range of 800 MHz to 18 GHz. It is as effective up to 40 GHz. The R&S® R-Line fits into any lab and will significantly reduce infrastructure investments for manufacturers and test houses.

The Rohde & Schwarz solution meets all S-VSWR validation requirements defined in the CISPR16-1-4:2007 standard. This translates into a compact and economical solution for measurements in the microwave range that can be used in the R&D lab.

The benefits of this compact, high-performance system are numerous, including the ability to optimize factors such as radiated spurious emissions during the development phase. This can eliminate complex modifications during the final conformance tests, which significantly reduces time-to-market.

Further test capabilities in the microwave range can be added with software upgrade packages. This allows designers to determine parameters such as radiated power and sensitivity and to carry out free-space, over-the-air (OTA) performance measurements. As a result, comprehensive RF OTA characterization of the wireless device can begin while the device is still in development.

The R&S® TS8996 test system consists of tried-and-tested instruments from Rohde & Schwarz that stand out for their unsurpassed measurement accuracy and reliability: A typical system includes the R&S CMU200 mobile radio tester, the R&S® FSP or R&S® FSU spectrum analyzer, and a signal generator for calibration.